Device for applying dressing,medication and suction



Dec. 30, 1969 M. AUSTIN, JR

DEVICE FOR APPLYING DRESSING, MEDICATION AND SUCTION Filed Nov. 20. 1967LAWTHAN M. AUSTIN, JR.

INVENTOR ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,486,504 DEVICE FOR APPLYINGDRESSING, MEDICATION AND SUCTION Lawthan M. Austin, Jr., 12600 SW.Tremont,

Portland, Oreg. 97225 Filed Nov. 20, 1967, Ser. No.'684,396 Int. Cl.A61m 1/00; A61f 7/02 U.S. Cl. 128-260 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE A resilient housing containing an absorbent dressing andhaving an open bottom portion, the housing being so arranged andconstructed that, when it is partially squeezed with the bottom portionpressed against the skin about an infected area, the dressing will beheld in contact with the infected area and a partial vacuum will bemaintained within the housing to provide suction over such area.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The use of suction means for removingimpurities from the skin, and also the use of medicated bandages oninfected areas for the purpose of withdrawing and absorbing thesecretion from the infected area are known to be old. Ordinarily activesuction is employed only for momentary periods. A device for thispurpose is described in US. Patent No. 1,927,462, issued under date ofSept. 19, 1933. A device for applying continuing suction for a longerperiod in a somewhat different situation is described in US. Patent No.2,385,207, issued under date of Sept. 18, 1945.

Various absorbent dressings and medicated bandages, together withadhesive means for holding them in place over the infected area, are atpresent available on the market. US. Patent No. 3,157,178, issued underdate of Nov. 17, 1964, describes a porous dressing held in place bypressure-sensitive tape.

The object of the present invention, however, is to serve both purposessimultaneously and continuously, that is to say, to retain an absorbentdressing in place and at the same time to facilitate the drawing out ofthe discharge from the infected area into the dressing by maintaining adefinite and continuing suction.

While medicated bandages of one type or another are in common use, anadditional object of this invention is to provide a bandage or dressingwith suitable medication, the penetration of which into the bandage willnot take place until such time as the bandage is actually secured inposition for use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In the device of this invention the absorbentbandage or dressing is contained in a resilient, flexible, bulb-likehousing. The housing is provided with a bottom opening and with anannular flange surrounding the bottom opening so arranged as to beadhesively attached to the skin around the infected area. In this waythe housing holds the dressing in contact with the infected area.

The resilient housing, furthermore, is so constructed that, when part ofthe air within the housing is discharged, with the squeezing of the wallof the housing, and the bottom flange is firmly attached to the skinsurface, the tendency of the resilient housing to resume its normalshape will result in a partial vacuum being set up and maintained in thehousing as long as the seal between the bottom flange and the skin towhich it is attached is not interrupted.

While the medication may be applied to the dressing in advance, thepreferred manner of dispensing the medication in this invention is tohave the medication sealed in a very thin and fragile capsule, locatedwithin the dressing and so designed as to be broken by the squeezing ofthe housing wall to exhaust part of the air from the housing, the brokencapsule then dispensing its contents throughout the dressing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a sectional elevation of the entire device taken approximatelythrough the center of the same, drawn to a somewhat enlarged scale, andshowing a medicationcontaining capsule located in the dressing, thecapsule being shown partially broken away for clarity;

FIG. 2 is a corresponding sectional elevation, drawn to the same scaleas FIG. 1, showing the device in place on the skin with the housingmanually being squeezed and thereby causing a portion of the air to beexhausted from the housing, the capsule containing the medication beingbroken open as a result of the squeezing pressure on the housing;

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional elevation illustrating the device in asubsequent stage, with the squeezing pressure removed but with thedevice remaining in place on the skin and with the partial vacuum beingretained as a result of the tendency of the resilient housing to returnfully to the normal shape of FIG. 1, the bottom flange forming a sealwith the skin surrounding the infected area; and

FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view taken of the device before use, and thustaken on the line indicated at 44 of FIG. 1, with portions of atemporary gauze covering of the bottom shown broken away for clarity.

In FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 the resilient housing is indicated in general by thereference 10, the housing being formed of resilient rubber, plastic orother similar suitable material and preferably having a bulb-like shapesubstantially as shown in FIG. 1. The bottom of the housing is formedwith an open portion 11, which open portion is surrounded by an annularintegral flange 12. The open portion 11 is intended to be placed overthe infected skin area, as later mentioned.

The interior of the housing 10 is filled with a suitable dressing 15,for example, absorbent cotton. Preferably, a capsule 16 containing anantibiotic or other medication is positioned in the dressing 15. Thiscapsule 16 is made of gelatin or very thin plastic, capable ofcontaining the liquid medication, but with such a thin wall and sofragile that it is readily broken when external squeezing pressure isimposed on the housing.

Also preferably, but not necessarily, the housing 10 is formed with aninwardly-extending recess 18 for holding a simple ball check valve, therecess 18 having a bottom air channel 19 forming the valve seat for thespringpressed ball 20. The spring 21, which engages the ball 20, is heldunder compression between the ball and a washer 22, the washer 22 beingset into a groove in the surrounding wall of the recess 18.

The flange 12 surrounding the open portion 11 of the housing has acoating of suitable adhesive 13 on its bottom face, and prior to beingused, the entire bottom portion of the device is covered with a thinprotective sheet 14 of gauze or other suitable and easily removablematerial.

When the device is to be used the protective covering 14 is removed fromthe bottom and the housing shell is so positioned that the bottomopening will be over the infected area 17' of the skin 17 (FIG. 2) withthe flange 12 engaging the skin around the infected area. If the devicesequent squeezing of the housing between the thumb X and forefinger Y,as shown in FIG. 2, causes s me of the air to be exhausted from thehousing through the one-way check valve. This squeezing pressure, inaddition to causing some of the air to be exhausted from the housing,also causes the fragile capsule 16 to be broken and the medication fromthe capsule to be dispensed through the dressing 15.

In the event the housing is not provided with the exhaust air valve thesqueezing of the housing takes place before the flange 12 is secured tothe skin surface, the flange than being pressed against the skin whilethe housing is still held compressed.

In either case, as long as the tight seal between the flange 12 and theskin surrounding the infected area is maintained, the tendency of theresilient housing to return to its full normal shape and the resultingpartial vacuum set up in the housing will cause suction to be exertedover the infected area while the medicated and absorbent dressing isheld in contact with the area. Of course if it is preferred in aparticular case to have no suction on the infected area then air is notexhausted from the housing. Nevertheless, the adhesion of the flange 12to the skin maintains the housing in place and the dressing in contactwith the infected area and protected from outside contamination.

The device is designed particularly for treatment of such skininfections as boils, carbuncles, etc.

I claim:

1. A device of the character described for treating a skin infectioncomprising a resilient bulb-like housing, absorbent dressing materialsubstantially filling said housing, said housing having a bottom openingadapted to be placed over the infected skin area, a flange on saidhousing surrounding said opening, means on said flange adapted to forman adhesive seal between said flange and the skin surrounding theinfected area, said housing so 4 constructed that, when part of the airin said housing is discharged by squeezing pressure on said housing andsaid flange is sealed to the skin around said infected area, thetendency of said housing to resume its full normal shape When thesqueezing pressure is Withdrawn will cause a partial vacuum to be set upin said housing resulting in suction being applied to said infected areawhile said dressing material is maintained in contact with said area.

2. The device of claim 1 with the addition of a fragile capsulecontaining medicine positioned within said dressing material, saidcapsule being of such nature that the squeezing pressure on said housingto exhaust some of the air from said housing will cause said capsule tobreak and the capsule contents to be dispensed through said dressingmaterial.

3. The device of claim 1 with said housing provided with an outlet checkvalve to enable air to be discharged from said housing when squeezingpressure is exerted n said housing after said housing is secured inplace around the infected skin area.

4. The device of claim 3 with the addition of a fragile capsule ofmedicine positioned within said housing and dressing material andadapted to be broken by the application of squeezing pressure to saidhousing.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 460,950 10/1891 Cluthe 128-300 XR599,714 3/1898 Lockerby 128-184 2,385,207 9/1945 Hunn 128-300 3,026,8743/1962 Stevens l28260 L. W. TRAPP, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

